Implementing taxes on non-local food may encourage the local food-economy to expand.
Cons of the industrial food system
Food that we take for granted, such as food that comes straight out of vending machines and at grocery stores, travels long distances and is connected to a multitude of sustainability problems. Transporting food within a nation's borders accounts for the release of 120 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. Non-local food also requires more packaging, refrigeration, and is typically less healthy and safe than local food (Halweil 2006).
Farmers must sell and buy their products from corporations. Many farmers producing for export are "often hungry as they sacrifice the output of their land to feed foreign mouths."
There is also injustice as a consequence of the global food system, as poorer communities are often left with less healthy choices due to little or no access to local supermarkets.The lack of availability to healthy foods is a major problem that affects minorities disproportionately. Poor diets increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, as well as the obesity epidemic. The global food system also is supported by the advent of the automobile, as supermarkets are often located in car-only accessible venues. There would be less stressful impact on the environment if these supermarkets were dispersed throughout a community and were easily accessible people via walking, biking, and public transportation. Local food markets would essentially aim to do this.
Globally-produced food is based on an economic theory and is a component of globalization. The theory of global food says that "every nation should specialize in one or two globally-traded commodities" (Norberg-Hodge 2010). But this theory is inherently unsustainable and has affected the environment only negatively. This model leads to the production of monocultures, which require massive amounts of pesticides, herbicides, and petrochemical fertilizers. Around 50% of grain production in the U.S. goes to livestock. Industrial food production also requires 3.3kcal of fossil fuel for every kcal of protein produced from livestock. It is clearly unsustainable to the land and is also based on finite fossil fuel consumption. In contrast, organic farming is less harmful to the environment and promotes biodiversity (polyculture).
Why incentivize local food markets?
Buying local food keeps money circulating in the community and a more food-literate community allows citizens to choose safer foods from farmers who don't use chemicals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and GMO seeds. This, in turn, helps stimulate jobs, improve a community's overall health and also protect the environment by decreasing the demand for industrially-based food. Additionally, farmers' markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer. Local food markets would be sold directly to the people, produce less packaging waste, and supply more nutritious food to the community.
A Potential Solution
I propose implementing using fiscal policy such as a heavy tax on non-local sources of food. A majority of states have not implemented a food tax at all; however, this unique tax would, in turn, promote local markets and eventually (hopefully) encourage a return to community food system. This would be a type of "ecotax", which is intended to promote "ecologically sustainable activities" through the economy. This solution would help regulation without implementing a law or bill, which is often overridden by lobbyists and politicians. It would also be more accepted by the public because it is something that each individual can do to make a difference without sacrificing their quality of life. The market will also be able to reward sustainable businesses by implementing this tax.
Similar taxes are being proposed across the nation. For example, in Iowa, a local economic development director is trying to stimulate the local economy by proposing to test out a bill that would give "a 20 percent tax credit to any grocery store or food distributor buying food grown in Iowa" (Peters 2010).
In the end, this kind of fiscal policy aids the lowering of other taxes, such as waste disposal taxes (less packaging waste), carbon taxes (less fossil fuels would be used to transport food across long distances), and taxes on pollution and hazardous wastes (lagoon spills). This is beneficial to everyone in the end in a world that demands sustainability.
Links Slow Food USA - An organization leading the improvement of access and awareness of foods that are "local, seasonal, and sustainability grown." They are working on improving food policy and food production practices.
Urban Farm Online: A website geared to helping local communities' access fresh food by providing information on local farmers' markets and tips on growing your own organic garden.
An example of how community gardens have exploded recently as a response to the recession and the sustainability movement. Citizens in a community of Philadelphia are realizing the benefits that local food brings to the community.
Go Fix It!:
Implementing taxes on non-local food may encourage the local food-economy to expand.
Cons of the industrial food system
Food that we take for granted, such as food that comes straight out of vending machines and at grocery stores, travels long distances and is connected to a multitude of sustainability problems. Transporting food within a nation's borders accounts for the release of 120 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. Non-local food also requires more packaging, refrigeration, and is typically less healthy and safe than local food (Halweil 2006).
Farmers must sell and buy their products from corporations. Many farmers producing for export are "often hungry as they sacrifice the output of their land to feed foreign mouths."
There is also injustice as a consequence of the global food system, as poorer communities are often left with less healthy choices due to little or no access to local supermarkets.The lack of availability to healthy foods is a major problem that affects minorities disproportionately. Poor diets increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, as well as the obesity epidemic. The global food system also is supported by the advent of the automobile, as supermarkets are often located in car-only accessible venues. There would be less stressful impact on the environment if these supermarkets were dispersed throughout a community and were easily accessible people via walking, biking, and public transportation. Local food markets would essentially aim to do this.
Globally-produced food is based on an economic theory and is a component of globalization. The theory of global food says that "every nation should specialize in one or two globally-traded commodities" (Norberg-Hodge 2010). But this theory is inherently unsustainable and has affected the environment only negatively. This model leads to the production of monocultures, which require massive amounts of pesticides, herbicides, and petrochemical fertilizers. Around 50% of grain production in the U.S. goes to livestock. Industrial food production also requires 3.3kcal of fossil fuel for every kcal of protein produced from livestock. It is clearly unsustainable to the land and is also based on finite fossil fuel consumption. In contrast, organic farming is less harmful to the environment and promotes biodiversity (polyculture).
Why incentivize local food markets?
Buying local food keeps money circulating in the community and a more food-literate community allows citizens to choose safer foods from farmers who don't use chemicals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and GMO seeds. This, in turn, helps stimulate jobs, improve a community's overall health and also protect the environment by decreasing the demand for industrially-based food. Additionally, farmers' markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer. Local food markets would be sold directly to the people, produce less packaging waste, and supply more nutritious food to the community.
A Potential Solution
I propose implementing using fiscal policy such as a heavy tax on non-local sources of food. A majority of states have not implemented a food tax at all; however, this unique tax would, in turn, promote local markets and eventually (hopefully) encourage a return to community food system. This would be a type of "ecotax", which is intended to promote "ecologically sustainable activities" through the economy. This solution would help regulation without implementing a law or bill, which is often overridden by lobbyists and politicians. It would also be more accepted by the public because it is something that each individual can do to make a difference without sacrificing their quality of life. The market will also be able to reward sustainable businesses by implementing this tax.
Similar taxes are being proposed across the nation. For example, in Iowa, a local economic development director is trying to stimulate the local economy by proposing to test out a bill that would give "a 20 percent tax credit to any grocery store or food distributor buying food grown in Iowa" (Peters 2010).
In the end, this kind of fiscal policy aids the lowering of other taxes, such as waste disposal taxes (less packaging waste), carbon taxes (less fossil fuels would be used to transport food across long distances), and taxes on pollution and hazardous wastes (lagoon spills). This is beneficial to everyone in the end in a world that demands sustainability.
Links
Slow Food USA - An organization leading the improvement of access and awareness of foods that are "local, seasonal, and sustainability grown." They are working on improving food policy and food production practices.
Urban Farm Online: A website geared to helping local communities' access fresh food by providing information on local farmers' markets and tips on growing your own organic garden.
An example of how community gardens have exploded recently as a response to the recession and the sustainability movement. Citizens in a community of Philadelphia are realizing the benefits that local food brings to the community.
Sources:
"Ecotax." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotax>.
Flournoy, By Rebecca. "Healthy Foods, Strong Communities: Bringing Fresh Foods into Low-income Neighborhoods." National Housing Institute. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/147/healthyfoods.html>.
Halweil, Brian. "Worldwatch Paper #163: Home Grown: The Case For Local Food In A Global Market | Worldwatch Institute." Worldwatch Institute | Vision for a Sustainable World. Nov. 2002. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.worldwatch.org/node/827>.
"No Excuses for Inaction | Environment | The Guardian." Latest News, Comment and Reviews from the Guardian | Guardian.co.uk. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/nov/05/greenlist.comment>.
Norberg-Hodge, Helena. "Bringing the Food Economy Home." International Society for Ecology and Culture. 2010. <http://www.isec.org.uk/articles/brining.html>.
Pimentel, By David. "Cornell Science News: Livestock Production." Cornell Chronicle Online. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/aug97/livestock.hrs.html>.
"Want a Market for Local Food? Provide a Tax Credit | Ground Level." Minnesota Public Radio. Web. 29 Nov. 2010<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/ground-level/archive/2010/08/want-a-market-for-local-food-provide-a- tax-credit.shtml>.